8.0°C: Between torrential showers. Light / moderate southerly breeze. Good visibility.
[Sunrise: 08:06 GMT]
Photos later.
I made an aborted early trip to the Balancing Lake having got soaked checking the Priorslee Avenue tunnel. I tried again at The Flash later when it appeared to be clearing. I had to sit in the car for 30 minutes for another heavy shower to pass and then made a brisk walk (well paddle really) around before the next deluge.
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn:
Flies:
- 1 winter cranefly
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 2 spiders: usual suspects
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:55 – 10:50
(289th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- a drake Shoveler seen at the top end was likely the same bird seen later flying in to the bottom end.
- two noisy drake (Common) Teal seen by the island. No ducks noted
- I did not bother with counting the Coots – I was intent on getting back to the car before the next shower.
- several of the Herring Gulls departed. Conversely all three Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew in.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls
Noted on / around the water:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 6 Greylag Geese: departed together
- 1 (1♂) Shoveler
- 29 (20♂) Mallard
- 5 (3♂) Pochard
- 21 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 (1♂) Goosander
- 12 Moorhens
- Coots not counted
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 14 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Herring Gulls: all ages
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all (near) adults
- 4 Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons
Around the area:
Nothing noted
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 adult Caspian Gulls (one with a green ring suggesting a German/Polish border origin).
8 Yellow-legged Gulls
80+ Great Black-backed Gulls
c.1000 Herring Gulls
2000+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
1st w Viking Gull (hybrid Glaucous x Herring Gull)
2 ad hybrid Herring x Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
9 Pochard
44 Tufted Ducks
176 Coots
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
c.650 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.20 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls.
5 Redwings
2 Fieldfares
234 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
1 Little Grebe
1 Cormorant
35 Mute Swans
2 Shoveler
48 Tufted Duck
3 Goosander
162 Coots
228 Black-headed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill
Caspian Gull
7 Yellow-legged Gulls
3500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
500 Herring Gulls
Common Gull.
(Tom Lowe)
Buildwas
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
500 Lapwings
(Tom Lowe)
2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Pochard
52 Tufted Ducks
1 eclipse drake Ruddy Ducks
9 Golden Plover
>2000 Black-headed Gulls
>2526 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
22 Robins
24 Blackbirds
c.45 Fieldfares
4 Song Thrushes
10 Redwings
348 Jackdaws
132 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Ravens
1 Cormorant
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
4 Pochard
39 Tufted Duck
1 Little Grebes
233 Coot
14 Redpolls
17 Siskins
24 Pied Wagtails
9 Redwings
12 Fieldfares
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
2 adult Caspian Gulls (one with a green ring suggesting a German/Polish border origin).
8 Yellow-legged Gulls
80+ Great Black-backed Gulls
c.1000 Herring Gulls
2000+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
1st w Viking Gull (hybrid Glaucous x Herring Gull)
2 ad hybrid Herring x Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
9 Pochard
44 Tufted Ducks
176 Coots
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
c.650 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.20 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls.
5 Redwings
2 Fieldfares
234 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
1 Little Grebe
1 Cormorant
35 Mute Swans
2 Shoveler
48 Tufted Duck
3 Goosander
162 Coots
228 Black-headed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill
Caspian Gull
7 Yellow-legged Gulls
3500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
500 Herring Gulls
Common Gull.
(Tom Lowe)
Buildwas
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
500 Lapwings
(Tom Lowe)
2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Pochard
52 Tufted Ducks
1 eclipse drake Ruddy Ducks
9 Golden Plover
>2000 Black-headed Gulls
>2526 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
22 Robins
24 Blackbirds
c.45 Fieldfares
4 Song Thrushes
10 Redwings
348 Jackdaws
132 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Ravens
1 Cormorant
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
4 Pochard
39 Tufted Duck
1 Little Grebes
233 Coot
14 Redpolls
17 Siskins
24 Pied Wagtails
9 Redwings
12 Fieldfares
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)